About this episode
How does a book make it from the mind of a Japanese author into the hands of an English-language reader?
In part 1 of this 2-part episode, we'll tackle the question, “Why do some Japanese books get translated into English?" How do publishers decide what gets translated? How do they decide what doesn’t get translated. And we'll take a look at Minae Mizumura's An I-Novel, translated into English by Juliet Winters Carpenter.
Please note two errors in part 1.
1. Noriko Mizuta Lippit translated "The Smile of the Mountain Witch", assisted by Mariko Ochi. The translation appears in Yamamba: In Search of the Japanese Mountain Witch, which is edited by Rebecca Copeland and Linda C. Ehrlich.
2. Author Astrid Lindgren and her Pippi Longstocking series are Swedish—not Norwegian.
Transcript, notes and sources at the podcast episode page.
Let RJL know what you think! (Contact us through the website if you want a response.)
Please note that text messages are for feedback only. RJL can't respond directly.
Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com.
Support RJL on Patreon.com.
Buy your books from Bookshop.org.
All content © 2025 Read Japanese Literature.
Get every episode summarized
Each time Read Japanese Literature publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.
Email me new episodesFree for 3 shows. No card needed.
Hosts & guests
No transcript yet
This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.
More episodes
More from Read Japanese Literature
Japanese Monster Stories on the Big Screen
Read Japanese Literature
The Japanese Cell Phone Novel
Read Japanese Literature
Lafcadio Hearn—The Master of the Japanese Ghost Story
Read Japanese Literature
Bullying in Japanese Literature
Read Japanese Literature